Coffee brewing apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Full automatic coffee machines with bottom-up brewing chambers face issues such as residual liquid accumulation, which contaminates the water supply line and requires costly three-way valves, leading to poor quality coffee due to temperature inconsistencies and clogging problems.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine design featuring a brewing chamber with a movable upper piston and a lower piston that includes a piston rod with an internal channel for evacuating residual liquid directly to a waste collector, eliminating the need for a three-way valve and ensuring consistent coffee quality by maintaining the brewing chamber's temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a three-way valve is used to evacuate residual liquid from the brewing chamber, then the residual liquid can be drained, but the water supply line becomes contaminated with coffee residues and the valve is costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the water supply function from the residual liquid evacuation function by creating a dedicated drainage outlet at the bottom of the brewing chamber that is independent from the water supply line. This segmentation prevents coffee residues from contaminating the water supply while effectively evacuating residual liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the drainage function from the water supply system by providing a separate drainage outlet directly at the bottom of the brewing chamber. This allows residual liquid to be removed independently without involving the water supply line, thus eliminating contamination risks.
2Temperature
If the brewing chamber is heated to maintain optimal temperature, then coffee quality is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous heating, the invention uses periodic heating cycles where hot water is periodically circulated through the brewing chamber to maintain temperature. This periodic action reduces energy consumption compared to continuous heating while still maintaining optimal brewing temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing chamber utilizes the heat from the brewing process itself to maintain temperature, reducing the need for external heating. The system self-regulates by retaining heat during and between brewing cycles, minimizing energy consumption.
3Reliability
If a drainage outlet is created at the bottom of the brewing chamber, then residual liquid can be evacuated, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the drainage outlet with the existing bottom structure of the brewing chamber, integrating the evacuation function into the chamber's base rather than adding a separate complex drainage system. This simplifies the overall structure while maintaining effective residual liquid removal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively evacuates residual liquid without contaminating the water supply, maintains optimal brewing temperatures, and reduces energy consumption and maintenance costs, ensuring high-quality coffee preparation without the drawbacks of prior art.
Implementation Method 1
evacuating residual liquid directly to a waste collector
Implementation Method 2
residual liquid accumulation, which contaminates the water supply line
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The invention concerns a full automatic coffee machine (100) comprising a coffee extraction unit (10) with : - a brewing chamber (1) for receiving coffee powder, - an upper piston (2), - a lower piston (3) movable inside said brewing chamber (1) between a lowest position and a highest position - wherein the lower piston (3) comprises a piston rod (31), which comprises an internal channel (311) extending from a channel inlet (311a) at the lateral wall surface of the rod to a channel outlet (311 b) at the bottom wall surface of the rod, and wherein the channel inlet (311a) is designed and positioned on the lateral wall surface of the rod so that said channel inlet (311a) overlaps the bottom wall (11) of the brewing chamber only when the lower piston is in the highest position.